Organic Sustainability: The Slow Food Movement

Gourmet slow food from Thomas Keller's French Laundry

Much of the 20th and 21st century have been devoted to making our lives faster: fast communication, fast transportation and fast food. But in the quest to live as efficiently as possible, the little luxuries enjoyed in slower times began to fall by the wayside. The art of letter writing, storytelling around a hearth and preparing a feast from scratch are fading into obscurity with each passing decade.

Recognizing the environmental and health dangers in promoting fast, cheap food, the Slow Food Movement was founded to celebrate and nurture the concept of eco-gastronomy – the connections between plate and planet.

What Exactly Is The Slow Food Movement?

The Slow Food Movement places a focus on sustainable eating and farming. Organic fruits and vegetables, free-range, grass fed livestock and locally sourced food are hallmarks of the Slow Food Movement. It has been proven that non-organic fruits and vegetables have less vitamins and minerals than their organic counterparts, and certain studies have pointed to the prevalence of antibiotics and hormones in poultry and livestock as the precursor to many human diseases, as well as resistance to antibiotics.

What Makes Slow Food Superior?

Slow food is organic, natural and full of flavor. The time it takes to prepare a fine gourmet meal is anything but fast, which is why the slow food movement is today associated with the finest in gastronomic achievement – top restaurants, the finest quality ingredients and out of this world dishes. Since the opening of its New York-based outpost in 2000, the Slow Food Movement has gained notoriety with adoption of the philosophy by America’s leading chefs.

Who Makes Slow Food?

Thomas Keller, world-renowned restaurateur and owner of two Michelin-starred restaurants including Napa’s The French Laundry and Manhattan’s Per Se, procures almost all the fresh, organic ingredients for his famous French Laundry fare in the backyard of the restaurant; the perfect definition of the Slow Food Movement. At $275 per plate, Keller’s meals have won the hearts and stomachs of everyone from food critics to Wall Street barons, proving that Slow Food is indeed a luxury worth waiting for.